Airplane construction



May 27, 1930- w. A. ENDTER 1,760,485

AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 4, 1929 amr/"Q1 11111 lll/111| l v/l/ [Ill/l l/ .DWH/TOR. Wwf/wm U1/DMR.

/lrrom/EK MAQ/mw Patented May 27, 1930 wnrnmmn A, Entrar., on LONG J3EAcH, ;cALIFoaNIA n v v Application filed Hay 4, 1929. v `Serial No.,360,460.

This invention relates to an airplane wing constructionin which both the helicopter and tractor propellers are employed to provide an airplane which can rise from the ground in avery short distance and which can also land in `a comparatively short distance. An object of myjinvention is to provide an airplane in which the helicoptic propeller `is a portion of the usual wing of the plane 2 l0 and which also acts as a lifting surface when it is stationary, and duringl the time that the tractor propeller is propelling the plane.

Still another object is to provide an air-4 plane' construction ofthe character stated in which vanes on the helicopter propeller can be manually adjusted -to provide ahigh lift for purposes of ascent or descent, these vanes being closablewhen the propeller is to be used as a wing surface. A vOther objects, advantages, and features of invention may appear fromv the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed 'description, and the appended claims. A

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of an airplane embodying my construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary tionalv view of the wingconstruction, parts of the fuselage being broken away to show .30 interior construction.

Y The numeral 1 indicates, the fuselage of the airplane which may be of any well-known construction 4now in general use. A tractor `type of propeller 2 is mounted at the front end of the fuselage and this propeller is driven from a suitable motor or motors (not shown) through'the shaft 3. .A wing 4 is vpositioned above thel fuselage 1 and extends .transverselythereo as is usual in airplane construction. Y Y Y The wing 4 consistsof outer tip sections 5, '6 and a central enlagedrea 7 in which the helicopter propeller 8 is mounted. The propeller 8' is preferably circular in; form and is mounted flush with the wing 4, conforming in curvature rwith the wing.` When this helicopter propeller is stationary it will have the same elfect as anygother portion Extending between the tip sections 5, Gand the o erator.

transverse secencirclingv the` propeller 8 I provide a stationary leading edge 9 and at the rear of the wing I provide a stationary trailing edge 10. The purpose of the edges 9, 10 is to provide a wing section as nearly conforming with present standards as possible. The propeller 8 is ymounted upon a' shaft 11, the shaft 11- extending downwardly into the fuselage and into a gear box 12, and a drive shaft 13 extends through a clutch 14 into the Vgear 60 box 12. Suitable gears 15 in the box transmit power from the shaft 13 to the shaft 11,

thus rotating the propeller '8 at the'will of In order that the propeller 8 may create a 65 strong vertical lift I 'provide a plurality of adjustable shutters 16 which are hinged alon one edge, as at 17, and these shutters are a l justed to open or closed position by the following manually controlled means. A sleeve 18 surroundssthe shaft lland arms 19 are pivoted to the upper end of the sleeve and to Ithe shutters 16. An arm 20 is pivotally secured to a thrust ring 21onthe sleeve 18 and 'a-manually controlled jack 22 is con- 75 nected to the arm 20 thereby raising and lowering ,thefarm whereby the sleeve 18 is raisedV or lowered, thus opening or closing the shutters 16.

When the'plane is takingoif or landing 80 the shutters" 16 are opened but as soon as the plane has reached la reasonable altitude Y the shutters are ,closedv and the entire power of the motor is diverted to the propel-ler 2'.l

Ifit is found desirable I may provide anti-` friction bearings 23, 24 above and below the edges o f *the propeller 8 and these antifriction bearings are positioned-in the wing 4 and also in the edges 9, 10. These bearings would tend toj prevent distortion of the prope'ller and would tend to hold it in proper position. e

Having described my invention, I claim:` f 1. In an airplane, a transverse wing, a g5 ,helicopter propeller in said wing, means to` e rotate said propeller, a stationary leading. l

edge extending partly around said propeller,

- a stationary trailing edge intending-partlyaround said propeller, the upper surface' of 'goo said propeller conforming in curvature to the curvature of the wing. y

2. In an airplane, a transverse Wing comprising an enlarged central section, tips ex- 5 tending from either side of saidy central section, a circular helicopter propeller in said central section, the upper surface of said propeller conforming in shape to the curvature of the wing, and anti-friction bearings between said wing and propeller, and means t0 rotate said propeller.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

, WALDEMAR A. END'IER. 

